In my experience most successful first attempts at fixing these cars are "rolling restorations"; meaning the car is always capable of running down the highway in between repairs and fixes. Because it's a functional car, each time a separate project is completed there is a sense of satisfaction and reward... And that feeling of accomplishment becomes cumulative throughout the rebuild.

Too many guys dismantle the whole car apart, then give up because it hasn't run in two years. After they've lost half the parts and fasteners; they've become totally overwhelmed; and it soon becomes a money pit that's no longer fun to work on.